Turning Point responds to the NCEPOD report into the care of people with alcohol-related illness

News item posted: 19 June 2017

Turning Point responds to the NCEPOD report into the care of
people with alcohol-related illness.

Selina Douglas, Managing Director for Turning Point's substance
misuse services, responds to the latest National Confidential
Enquiry into Patient Outcome and Death (NCEPOD) report which finds
that hospitals are missing opportunities to intervene early in the
care of people with alcohol-related illness.

"This focus on opportunities for early interventions in
hospitals is welcome. Good early interventions in hospitals for the
care of people with alcohol-related illness do exist, but we need
to ensure that priority is given to them and that the funding is
there to replicate such services across the country.

"For instance Turning Point staff, based at A and E services in
Gateshead and Sunderland, are able to reach patients presenting
with alcohol related issues earlier, signpost to local alcohol
services and provide other relevant information and guidance. Since
Recovery Navigation began at Sunderland Royal Hospital in Oct 2011,
there has been a decline in the overall alcohol related attendances
showing that early intervention schemes do work.

"However, we can and must, start interventions even earlier than
this. Last year Turning Point supported Diana Johnson's ten minute
rule motion to introduce 'Relationship, Drugs and Alcohol'
education into the national curriculum - we need to ensure the
right support, education and advice is available as early as
possible in order to see a real and sustained impact in this
area."